FIR for a two-year-old

KANPUR: The Kesco and Bajariya police have made a major goof-up. They have booked a two-and-a-half-year-old boy for power theft. A native of Rae Bareli, he had been sent to stay at his grand-parents place in Colonelganj in February when he was 'found guilty' of power theft and an FIR lodged against him. His much-shocked family will knock the doors of court soon to get justice.

According to reports, the boy identified as Shahnawaz, son of a motor mechanic Shamshad, a resident of Rae Bareli, had come to his grandmother Shamim Bano's house in Pani Ki Tanki locality, Colonelganj, on February 3. Kesco officials lodged an FIR under Power Theft Act against him and seven others with the Bajariya police following a drive against illegal `katiya' connections on the same day. Bajariya police informed that the FIR had been lodged by Ek Dhar Charan, junior engineer, Kesco, on February 5, 2010.

"Though I am not educated, I don't think if there is any provision or act in the Constitution of India wherein a boy of 30 months can be booked for an offence. We want the authorities to take up the case at the earliest so that my son gets justice," claimed an angry Shamshad.

Shamshad said he would submit an application in the court soon. He informed on February 2 his son had been at his grandmother's house when he was booked by Bajariya police for stealing power.
The others booked were Ram Singh, Kishan Lal, Rajesh, Mahesh Shanker Sharma, Nirdosh Kumar, Aqeel and Daulat Singh.
"We only came to know about the FIR against my son when local police started making rounds of his grandmother's place," he said.

When contacted, DIG Prem Prakash expressed surprise over the incident. "An inquiry will be conducted in this matter and action will be taken against the erring officials."